edoc

Prevalence of positive tuberculosis skin tests during 5 years of screening in a Swiss remand prison

Ritter, C. and Elger, B. S.. (2012) Prevalence of positive tuberculosis skin tests during 5 years of screening in a Swiss remand prison. The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease and Lung Disease, Vol. 16, H. 1. pp. 65-69.

Full text not available from this repository.

Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A6070172

Downloads: Statistics Overview

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) screening in prisons is recommended, but the appropriate methods remain controversial. Studies evaluating screening in remand prisons are scarce.; Between 1997 and 2001, voluntary screening based on the tuberculin skin test (TST) was offered to all prisoners on entry into the largest remand prison in Switzerland. Prisoners with positive results underwent chest X-rays. We analysed this information collected in an anonymous database.; A total of 4890 prisoners entered the prison and were eligible for screening; 3779 (77.3%) had TST performed on average 9 days after arrival: 46.9% were positive (induration ? 10 mm). Positive TST rates were similar over the 5 years. Women were more likely to have a negative TST (60.4%) than men (47.7%; P > 0.001, Pearson's (2) 16.5). Positive TSTs varied according to the prisoner's country of origin (64% for sub-Saharan Africa, 57% for Eastern Europe, 56% for North Africa, 51% for Asia and 34% for North and West Europe).; The percentage of TST-positive subjects was high, and most did not receive preventive treatment for latent TB. The usefulness of systematic TST for all prisoners on entry is limited, as diagnosis of TB disease usually remains the priority in prisons.
Faculties and Departments:08 Cross-disciplinary Subjects > Ethik > Institut für Bio- und Medizinethik > Bio- und Medizinethik (Elger)
03 Faculty of Medicine > Departement Public Health > Ethik in der Medizin > Bio- und Medizinethik (Elger)
UniBasel Contributors:Elger, Bernice Simone and Ritter, Catherine
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:IUATLD
ISSN:1027-3719
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Related URLs:
Identification Number:
Last Modified:21 Jun 2013 12:29
Deposited On:21 Jun 2013 12:27

Repository Staff Only: item control page